Bomb-threat fines are wrong

By Letter to the Editor

State Sen. J.B. Powell, D-Augusta, is proposing a bill to punish the parents of the children calling in bomb threats to schools.

Merry Christmas, kids. Here's the plan: Tell mom and dad just how much cheaper it is to buy you that new Playstation, basketball shoes, computer, car, etc. than it will be to pay for the cost of a bomb threat to a school.

I wish this was around when I was a kid. I had to put up with being punished for my actions. A spanking for small infractions was the general rule. Then it was lockdown - in-house incarceration. No movies, baseball, bike riding, fishing, etc. for X number of days. I never did get past the small things, so I was never punished for anything major like a bomb threat. Perhaps the early punishments I received taught me that unacceptable behavior would cause me to lose my independence.

We are now going to punish the parents for the crimes of their children. In past years, we have rewarded parents for having children. Confused? What will happen to the parents who cannot pay the fine? Will we garnish their pay, confiscate their cars, furniture and houses?

Quoting an old, wise philosopher, Pogo: "We have met the enemy and he is us"